Liberal Party of Japan

The Liberal Party of Japan was a conservative political party in Japan that was founded in 1945. The party was founded by former Seiyukai Party members, with Ichiro Hatoyama and Shigeru Yoshida leading the party. In 1946-1947 and 1948-1954, Yoshida served as Prime Minister. In 1948, the party dissolved, but it was re-founded in 1950, existing until 1955. Yoshid and Hatoyama argued after Hatoyama was unable to return to being leader of the revived Liberal Party, leading to factions forming within the party. In 1955, the party merged with the Japan Democratic Party to form the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan. In 1998, the last incarnation of the party was formed, formed from remnants of the New Frontier Party. The party joined the opposition led by the Democratic Party of Japan and also including Komeito, the Social Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party. In 1999, the party formed a coalition with the LDP, and the party returned to the opposition after Komeito joined the government. In 2003, the party merged with the DPJ, but it was re-founded as the Life Party in 2012, renamed to the "Liberal Party" in October 2016. This party, unlike its predecessors, was genuinely liberal, holding social liberal, environmentalist, and pacifist stances.